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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 7, 2026

TOPEKA — The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has announced the 32 recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award, a program recognizing the outstanding teaching skills of new educators.

The educators chosen for this prestigious award will be honored at a special ceremony during the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) State Education Conference on Feb. 20, in Topeka.

The Kansas Horizon Award program, sponsored by KSDE, allows all school districts in the state to nominate one elementary and one secondary teacher for the award. To be eligible, teachers must have successfully completed their first year of teaching and have performed in such a way as to distinguish themselves as outstanding.

Four elementary and four secondary classroom teachers may be selected for the award from each of the state’s four regions that correspond to the state’s U.S. congressional districts.

The following recipients of the 2026 Kansas Horizon Award were notified of their selection by Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson:

Region 1

• Mayci Armstrong, Rock Creek High School, Rock Creek USD 323
• Alyssa Higbie, Manhattan High School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
• Audrey Phelps, Ross Elementary School, Dodge City USD 443
• Kate Steimel, Ellsworth Elementary School, Ellsworth USD 327
• Phoebe Stottlemire, Valley Falls High School, Valley Falls USD 338
• Tristyn Tow, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
• Claudia Trout, Bennington Grade School, Twin Valley USD 240
• Allison Wickstrum, Blue Valley-Randolph High School, Blue Valley-Randolph USD 384

Region 2

• Alyssa Beilfuss, Linwood Elementary School, Basehor-Linwood USD 458
• Zaveah Kobza, David Brewer Elementary School, Leavenworth USD 453
• Alyssa McCue, Walnut Elementary School, Emporia USD 253
• Eva Noble, Piper Creek Elementary School, Piper USD 203
• Kaysi Overdick, Tonganoxie High School, Tonganoxie USD 464
• Shayla Rahe, Marion High School, Marion-Florence USD 408
• Elizabeth Sturgis, Girard High School, Girard USD 248
• Ashley Swanson, Carbondale Attendance Center, Santa Fe Trail USD 434

Region 3

• Asia Beck, Trojan Elementary School, Osawatomie USD 367
• Gregory Bergman, Olathe Advanced Technical Center, Olathe USD 233
• Jordan Dombrowski, Shawnee Mission East High School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
• Cordelia Hanger, Dayton Creek Elementary School, Spring Hill USD 230
• Marissa Horstick, Central Heights Middle School, Central Heights USD 288
• Brittney Jundt, Riverview Elementary School, De Soto USD 232
• Meadow Richardson, Sunflower Elementary School, Paola USD 368
• Katlyn Whittley, Wheatridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231

Region 4

• Laura Araiza, Wichita North High School, Wichita USD 259
• Davon Brees, Complete High School Maize, Maize USD 266
• Whitney Brummer, St. John-Hudson Elementary School, St. John-Hudson USD 350
• Nolan Crumrine, Valley Center High School, Valley Center USD 262
• Abbie Griffith, Goddard High School, Goddard USD 265
• Lauren Mullen, R.L. Wright Elementary School, Sedgwick USD 439
• Sally Pipes, Irving Elementary School, Winfield USD 465
• Ashley Shuck, Lincoln Elementary School, Wellington USD 353

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Contact: Denise Kahler, director of KSDE communications and recognitions programs, denise.kahler@ksde.gov, or (785) 296-4876.